Nearly halfway into my one-year test, the Juke's odometer ticked passed 7500 miles. To a Juke owner like me, that meant heading to the dealer for a minor service and checkup. Nissan categorizes its recommended services under two banners based on driving severity: Maintenance Schedule 1, or checkups every 3750 miles (or three months, whichever comes first), is tailored towards those that drive their vehicles hard or in particularly dusty climates. Schedule 2, on the other hand, is for those that drive in less severe conditions and recommends dealer stops every 7500 miles (or six months).

As I'm not one to push the Juke to its extremes all the time (okay, once in a while, I've been known to), I opted for the latter schedule. In doing so, Power Nissan performed a lube, oil, and filter change, and rotated the Goodyears to even out normal wear.

I made the executive decision to upgrade to Mobil1 synthetic oil for improved viscosity and, well, because Melissa, our resident service advisor, remarked that "the Juke is a turbo, so it's better for it!" All joking aside, the 1.6-liter turbo will likely be happier with synthetic oil running through its veins. In discussing which oil to choose with associate online editor, Benson Kong, we both found it surprising that Nissan didn't fill the Juke with synthetic at the factory. Then again, Kong said, he'd wager the Juke's cooling efficiency is pretty good without it.Via